Deal of the Week!

Carry your Big Shot in style! The Deal of the Week this week is the Big Shot Doctor's Bag! Through July 12th, you can get it for only $49.95! That's nearly 30% off!

Shop online anytime, or let me know if I can help you with an order.

Sara's Birthday

I created my own little cocktail to toast my mother-in-law's recent birthday:

I think it looks kinda like a strawberry margarita, don't you?! In any case, I used some Crystal Effects to make the drink look more refreshing. Here's a close-up:

Obviously, this is the Cheers to You stamp set, with a little bit of polka-dot texture using my Big Shot and a Texturz plate.

Happy Birthday, Sara!

Card Recipe:
Stamp Set: Cheers to You
Ink: Black StazOn
Cardstock: Tempting Turquoise, Whisper White, Basic Black
Accessories: Real Red Narrow Grosgrain Ribbon, Real Red brads
Tools: Big Shot, Backgrounds I Texturz Plate

More New Colors

I'm still trying my hand at these new In Colors - it always takes me some time to adjust! Here's another one I played with:

This one uses Bermuda Bay and Melon Mambo... and notice how the flower is colored in using our FABULOUS NEW In Color Markers!! I just LOVE that they finally made these for us! I also used some of the new Bermuda Bay Polka-Dot grosgrain ribbon and a rhinestone brad.

I also want to take a moment to let you know that I am once again sending out e-mail newsletters of upcoming promotions and specials that I run. I sent one out a couple days ago - if you did not receive it and would like to, just drop me a line and I will add you to my list.

I hope you all had a great week! It was an exciting Stampin' Up! week with the new catalog arriving and all!

Card Recipe:
Stamp Sets: It's a Stretch, Teeny Tiny Wishes
Ink: Bermuda Bay, Melon Mambo, Black Staz-On
Cardstock: Bermuda Bay, Melon Mambo, Whisper White
Accessories: Bermuda Bay Striped Grosgrain ribbon, Rhinestone brad
Tools: Scallop Circle punch, 1-3/8", 1-1/4", 1", and 1/16" circle punches

Deal of the Week!

This week (thru July 6th), you can purchase the Scallop Edge punch for only $10.99! You can contact me to place your order, add it to an existing order, or shop online!

The NEW Catalog!

It's here!! The new Idea Book & Catalog has arrived! Click on the thumbnail at left to start browsing!

And don't forget about my Paper and Ribbon Share - save a lot and sample it all!

Paper & Ribbon Shares!

The start of a brand new Idea Book & Catalog means it's time for more SHARES! Although the new catalog won't go live for another day, I wanted to give you advanced notice so you could be better prepared with your wish list -- and by participating in these shares, you can save money to be spent on other goodies!! (and be sure to look at the "Want it All" special at the bottom of this post!)

Paper Shares
I will have 4 different groups to choose from. Each group contains 6"x6" squares of each paper in those particular Designer Series Paper (DSP) packs. For instance, if a share contains 3 different DSP styles, then you would receive 36 squares (12 from each style). This is an EXCELLENT and AFFORDABLE way for you to sample many packs without paying full price for any of them!

Group 1 - $12
Nouveau Chic
Cottage Wall
Thoroughly Modern

Group 2 - $12
Kaleidoscope
Tall Tales
Razzleberry Lemonade

Group 3: (Holiday Group) - $15
Holiday Lounge
Merry Moments
Autumn Traditions
Cast-A-Spell

Group 4: (Specialty Papers) - $10
The Write Stuff Specialty
Storybook Specialty


Ribbon Share
I will only have one Ribbon Share group, and it will include ALL of the NEW ribbons that are in this catalog. The cost is $32 and a detailed list of what will be included in this share is below:

Real Red 1" Double-Stitched Grosgrain Ribbon (2 yards)
Rich Razzleberry 1/2" Polka-Dot Grosgrain Ribbon (3 yards)
Bermuda Bay 1/2" Polka-Dot Grosgrain Ribbon (3 yards)
Soft Suede 1/2" Polka-Dot Grosgrain Ribbon (3 yards)
Crushed Curry 1/2" Polka-Dot Grosgrain Ribbon (3 yards)
Dusty Durango 1/2" Polka-Dot Grosgrain Ribbon (3 yards)
Melon Mambo 1/2" Polka-Dot Grosgrain Ribbon (3 yards)
Pumpkin Pie 1-1/4" Striped Grosgrain Ribbon (2 yards)
Chocolate Chip 1-1/4" Striped Grosgrain Ribbon (2 yards)
Old Olive 1-1/4" Striped Grosgrain Ribbon (2 yards)
Basic Black 1-1/4" Striped Grosgrain Ribbon (2 yards)
Real Red 3/4" Polka-Dot Grosgrain Ribbon (2 yards)
Basic Black 5/8" Grosgrain Ribbon (3 yards)

If you ordered a whole spool of each of these, you'd spend over $130. Share the cost and save $100!!

And for those of you who want it all... take advantage of this SPECIAL OFFER:
Participate in ALL of the above shares and save $11 - Total cost is only $70! (and shipped via Priority Mail)

All prices include shipping and tax. Contact me to place your order and I will send you a PayPal invoice. I will keep these shares open throughout the month of July, but I will place the orders as soon as each group fills up. Be among the first and get your shares the quickest!

Happy Birthday to Me!

Yes, today is my birthday! I'm 23! :)

I received so many e-mails wishing me a happy day (and it was!), but I only received ONE homemade card!!! Okay, okay... I know it's because I moved and no one has my address anymore. But I wanted to show you the card I received from my dear friend Marelle from Australia:

Isn't she so talented?! You may not be able to see the detail, but she did some faux silk on this one, along with some gorgeous plum cone flowers from the Inspired By Nature stamp set. I think they are just divine!!

Thank you, Marelle... you are so dear to me. And thank you, everyone, for all the wonderful e-mails!

Hugs to all!

Happy Birthday, Carey!

Ever have one of those days where the card you're trying to make turns out even better than you imagined? This was one such card...

One of my dear friends in Dallas recently had a birthday and I made this card especially for her. I have never used this A Rose is a Rose set before, but I knew it was the perfect one for Carey. She is so beautiful and so loving... and roses just remind me of her. I also have never used this gorgeous Organza Ribbon - oh, my!! Is it ever elegant! I am going to have to find some more cards to use this on... I absolutely love it! As if that ribbon didn't do enough (which it did!), I also dazzled up the rose a bit as you can see below.

Well, this was a fun card to make... I do recommend using the Stamp-a-ma-jig on this set to get it lined up just right. If you're not familiar with this tool, you can see a tutorial on how it works by clicking here. I hope Carey had a fabulous birthday... and Carey, if you're reading this, when are you going to come out here and visit me in these beautiful mountains?! :) Love ya!

Card Recipe:
Stamp Sets: En Francais Background, A Rose is a Rose
Ink: Regal Rose, Rose Red, Always Artichoke
Cardstock: Always Artichoke, Mellow Moss, Rose Red, Whisper White
Accessories: Dazzling Diamonds, Organza Ribbon
Tools: Wide Oval punch, Glue Stick, Stamp-a-ma-jig, Stamping Sponge

Classic Father's Day

I told you I'd make time to show these to you! I have 4 fathers to make cards for... actually, I could count a couple more that I'd like to send cards to, but these 4 are the highest priority. I pulled out a set that has never seen ink before... Classic Sketches, and made these 4 classic cards!

The Plum one is for Michael... purple is his favorite color.

The Pumpkin one is for my dad because orange is his favorite color.

This Brocade one is for Michael's dad (I don't actually know what his favorite color is, but blue will have to do!).

And this Moss one is for Michael's step-dad (again, have no idea what his favorite color is, but I had to choose something other than purple, orange, or blue!).

As you can see, they are all made basically the same with just some color variations. They are all in the mail and I am happy that they will be on time!! Are yours?!

Card Recipe:
Stamp Sets: Sanded Background, Classic Sketches, Teeny Tiny Wishes (NEW! for 2009!)
Ink: Chocolate Chip, Perfect Plum, Elegant Eggplant, Pumpkin Pie, Really Rust, Brocade Blue, Night of Navy, Mellow Moss, Always Artichoke
Cardstock: Chocolate Chip, Pale Plum, Perfect Plum, Apricot Appeal, Pumpkin Pie, Brocade Blue, Night of Navy, Mellow Moss, Always Artichoke
Accessories: Vintage Brads
Tools: Stamping Sponge, Modern Label Punch (NEW! for 2009!)

Morgan is TEN!

Yes, it's been another week since I've posted. I have to say, I am just loving Colorado SO MUCH, that it takes a lot for me to sit still enough to write a post. It's so beautiful outside, and one of my favorite things to do when I'm not stamping is to curl up somewhere with a good book. My current book is Jubilee Trail by Gwen Bristow... I'm such a pioneer woman at heart. Don't get me wrong, I LOVE to stamp, and I've got at least 7 or 8 cards that I need to show you, but the posting part is not NEAR as much fun as the stamping part! *sorry*

But today is a very special day in the Force household... Morgan is now TEN! I made him a special card...

...but then decided I wanted a little more bling since this is his big double-digit birthday, so I made this one too!

Those of you who have followed my blog for the last couple years (thank you!) will remember Morgan's love affair with Only Orange. I simply had to include it on his card... but unfortunately, I don't have any orange glitter, so red will have to suffice! I think I'll go ahead and give him both cards since they were both made specifically for him. He'll get them tonight after his special dinner!

I promise to get my Father's Day cards posted by the end of the week...

Card 1 Recipe:
Stamp Sets: Pun Fun, Heard from the Heart
Ink: Brilliant Blue, Only Orange, Basic Black
Cardstock: Basic Black, Brilliant Blue, Bashful Blue, Only Orange, Whisper White
Accessories: Black Brad
Tools: Big Shot, Texturz Plate, 1-1/4" and 1" circle punches

Card 2 Recipe:
Stamp Set: None (except for the inside greeting)
Ink: None (ditto)
Cardstock: Brilliant Blue, Basic Black, Real Red, Whisper White
Accessories: Sticky Cuts Letters, Chunky Essentials glitter
Tools: Photo Corners punch, Crafter's Tool Kit

Just For You

I know, I know... I've been gone far too long. Believe me, I feel it too! I'm so out of practice that any chance I get at my stamp table, I just sit there and stare! But thankfully, Mr. Brown brought me some new goodies to sit and stare at... until finally I managed to squeeze this one out.

I'm not completely in love with this card, but it was my first shot at some new colors. It always takes a little while to get used to the new In Colors and although I love the new selections, going at them while I'm out of practice didn't quite make for a speedy card completion!

This card uses three new In Colors (Soft Suede, Dusty Durango, and Crushed Curry) as well as three new stamp sets. The giraffe comes from Animal Crackers, the background comes from Circle Circus, and the sentiment comes from Teeny Tiny Wishes. The ribbon is new too - it's our new Soft Suede polka-dot grosgrain - although I used the opposite side because I felt the polka-dots were a bit much this time.

But the most FABULOUS thing about this card... do you notice how the giraffe is two different colors? Well, Stampin' Up! has finally done it!! They've given us the In Colors in MARKERS!! Let me tell you, I squealed when I saw it! I am so excited to have them.

...and you, too, will be excited when you see all the fun new things in our upcoming catalog! But first things first... don't forget to take advantage of the great specials on all of the retiring items I discussed in this post.

I'll try not to be as long gone this time... you'll have to cut me a little slack, though... I'm a crew leader in Vacation Bible School this week. I've got 19 little 5 & 6 year olds tugging on my shirt all week... not to mention my OWN 3 little monsters! :)

Card Recipe:
Stamp Sets: Circle Circus, Animal Crackers, Teeny Tiny Wishes
Ink: Crushed Curry, Soft Suede
Cardstock: Soft Suede, Dusty Durango, Crushed Curry, Whisper White
Accessories: Soft Suede Polka-dot grosgrain ribbon
Tools: 1/16", 1", 1-1/4", 1-3/8" circle punches, Scallop circle punch, Stamping sponge

Last Chance!

As we prepare for another new and wonderful Idea Book & Catalog, it means we must say goodbye to some of our old favorites. Click on the links below to view the lists.

Last Chance Stamp Sets (Listed by page number)
Last Chance Stamp Sets (Listed alphabetically)
Decor Elements Last Chance List

To see all the retiring products - including the retiring Accessories - click here. Don't forget to choose your demonstrator for the best prices... you'll notice that a lot of these items are either 25% or 50% OFF!!

In addition, June is a perfect time to host a workshop or place that large order you've been saving up for. Why? Well, besides the fact that this is the last chance to get all the great things listed above, you can get MORE FREE STUFF this month!

• Hostesses who hold a $250-$399.99 workshop will receive an additional $20 in hostess free merchandise dollars.
• Hostesses who hold a $400 or more workshop will receive an additional $40 in hostess free merchandise dollars.

Let me put this into perspective for you... If you were to place a $250 order this month, you would get all those goodies on your list PLUS $45 in FREE stuff, PLUS a FREE level 1 Hostess set!

If you were to bump your order to $400, you would get everything on your list PLUS $85 SMACKEROOS in FREE stuff, PLUS 2 FREE Hostess sets!

That's a lot of FREE stuff!! Let me know if you have a list of goodies that you'd like to see delivered in a big box right to your front door! (What could be better than that?!) And don't forget, you can shop online at anytime.

A Rainbow of Thanks!

Situation: I needed another thank you card. (I'm needing a lot of these lately)
Dillema: Which stamp set to use.
Solution: Grab a new Thank You background stamp that hasn't seen ink yet!
Result: A Rainbow of Thanks!!

This colorful set was so much fun to create! I just love this new Gratuitous Graffiti background stamp - it really stands alone, as you can see.


On this Old Olive one, you can see how I made the envelopes, too. I used one of my favorite techniques - faux tearing. For a tutorial on this technique, click here.




And what's better than a set of really beautiful cards? A set of really beautiful cards in a really beautiful matching box!


I hope you liked it!

Card Recipe:
Stamp Sets: Gratuitous Graffiti, Beautiful Borders
Ink: Chocolate Chip, Perfect Plum, Baja Breeze, Old Olive, So Saffron, Pumpkin Pie, Ruby Red
Cardstock: Close to Cocoa, Chocolate Chip, Perfect Plum, Baja Breeze, Old Olive, So Saffron, Pumpkin Pie, Ruby Red
Accessories: Chocolate Chip Narrow Grosgrain Ribbon
Tools: Designer Label punch, Wide Oval punch, Stamping Sponge

A Catalog CASE

I don't do it very often, but sometimes, just sometimes, I actually CASE a card from the catalog. This is one such time.

I needed a quick Thank You card, and sometimes CASEing is the fastest route! You'll find my inspiration for it on page 106 of the current Idea Book & Catalog. Not much to say about it... but it would be great in several different color combinations!

Card Recipe:
Stamp Sets: Fifth Avenue Floral, Elegant Thank You
Ink: Baja Breeze, Kiwi Kiss, Close to Cocoa, Chocolate Chip
Cardstock: Kiwi Kiss, Close to Cocoa, Whisper White
Accessories: Chocolate Chip Narrow Grosgrain ribbon